The Art of Opportunism: Roberto Santiago Manaira Shopping Mall

Robert Santiago is a renowned entrepreneur and a true definition of taking advantage of what is best in a locality. From the time he was a young man, Roberto always dreamed of owning a business. The idea of being employed by someone never settled well with him. In his quest to fulfill his childhood dream, Roberto noticed with great keenness that there were no single mall that provided a one-stop and non-stop shopping experience for the people of the Joao Pessoa. To add on his idea, he decided to incorporate other entertainment based services and products such as gaming arenas, education and financial institutions, gyms, rooftop concert halls, theaters among others inside the mall to provide top-notch services. He first purchased the land on which the mall seats on, and took two years from 1987 to 1989 to develop it to the international standards it is today.

The Manaira shopping mall favors persons from all walks of life, their services and facilities cuts across all people of all ages and interest. It contains furniture stores, book stores, cosmetics, clothing stores, sports gears for gym enthusiasts, and many more. The mall also hosts colleges such as the Paraiba College; consequently, there are numerous faculty members and students in and around the mall all the time.

The Domus Hall

The Domus hall is located at the rooftop of the mall. It was launched in 2009. It hosts exhibits, weddings, conferences, graduation ceremonies, concerts, trade fairs, and movie theaters that feature the latest movies from all over the world. It can hold up to 14,000 people at ago. The Domus hall is subdivided into cabins to cater for individuals who may require privacy, while the ground floor hosts pubic events. It is well equipped with quality sound equipment, air-conditioned and sound-proofed. It has not only attracted performances from Brazilian artists, but also international artists who may have never visited Brazil if not for the exceptional facilities in the mall.

Food Court

The Manaira food court provides diverse menu that accommodate people with different budgets. This is why the court has undergone renovations to diversify their offers since its launch. Currently, the food court’s menu ranges from fast food to high end dinner places like the Capital Steakhouse. Since its inception, the shopping mall has undergone more than four expansions particularly in the leisure, entertainment, hopping and the food court departments.

Mangeira Mall

In 2014, Roberto started another initiative, a product of the Manaira mall known as the Mangeira Shopping. The two shopping malls have contributed immensely to the economic growth of the city of Joao Pessoa. The growth has seen a lot of companies relocate to Joao Pessoa thereby providing job opportunities to the residents. Roberto Santiago studied Business Administration from Joao Pessoa University.